Binder inserting machine



Oct. 7, 1958 c. WlDELL BINDER INSERTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27, 1954 United States Patent BINDER INSERTING MACHINE Charles Widell, Chicago, 111;, assignor to Plastic Binding Corporation, Chicago, 111.; a corporation of Delaware Application January 27, 1954, SerialNo'. 406,570 8 Claims. c1; 11---1 This invention relates. to .apparatustorbinding books, pamphlets or other assemblies of sheets by means of resilient tubular binders of the kind formed from a combshaped body, usually of thermoplastic material, by rolling the body so that the ends'of. the. comb teeth are curled into. engagement with the other portion of the binder.

The invention deals more particularly with a simple mechanical device for temporarily uncurling the teeth of a binder to enable slotted sheets'to be engaged thereover. One type of device for carrying outthis function includes a holding means with whichthe backbone of the binder can be engaged anduncurlingmeans including a number of hooks withxwhich the. teeth ofjthe binder can be engaged by sliding the binder holding means in a direction to bring theteetht in .encirclingre lationship with the hooks. The hooks are then moved laterally of the binder to uncurl the binder. .teeth.

It is an object of the present invention to'providean uncurling device wherein. the binder teeth. engaging .hooks are anchored securely in place. in 'a simple. and-com venient manner. and are individually easily'removable and replaceable. Another objectof:this'iinvention .is to provide a device of' the above character; wherein the binder. teeth engaginghooks: are. of a:shape thateither end. of. thelhooksmay beiusedtfor'r engaging thev binder teethor for anchoring the hookstoa supporting-member.

A further object: of thlSTlHVGHtlOII .is .to. provide: an uncurling. device of therabove': character. which includes a sturdy supporting frame which is madeof'aminimum number of'parts and which may be assembled'easilyf and quickly.

Further: objects and;advantages of. the; invention will become apparent on making reference torthe specificationto follow and the. drawingszwhereinr.

Fig. 1 is; a' plan view of the binder-'uncurling device of the present invention, with parts-br'okenaway;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational'view of:the:device, with parts'broken away;

Fig. 3. is a side elevational-view"of'the device, with parts broken away and withfa binderin a curled-position thereon; I

Fig. 4 is a vertical section; of the deviceinFig. 1 taken along section line 4-4;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged verticalzsectional view of the device of Fig. 1 taken. along section line 5 5,-. and showing a binder in an uncurled position thereon;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged top view of a: portion of the device shown in Fig. 1, showing at binder in an uneurled position thereon;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectionalviewthrough the binder support bar, taken alongsection line 77 in Fig. 2, and with a curledbinder' supported thereon;

Fig. 8 is an enlargedvertical'sectional view through the bindersupportbar, taken/along section line8'-8 of Fig. 1, and with a curled binder supportedthereon; and

Fig. '9 is a verticalsectional;view-offthe; hook carrying bar taken along section line 9--9 of Fig. 6.

2,854,679 Patented Oct. 7, 1958.

"ice

Reference should now be had to the drawings-where.-

in similar reference numeralsindicate: similar elements.

6 supported in front of thebinder support. assembly; a-

shaft and linkage assembly 7 vfor moving the hook-carry.- ing assembly 6 laterally ofthe binder support assembly.

4, to uncurl the binder teeth from a tubularplastic binder 8; and a tray 9 supportedabove the frame 2 or. storing unused binders. The binders-eachincludes' spaced teeth 8a extending from an edgeof a backbone'8b.

The. frame assembly 2 includes.upstandingendplates. 10 and 12 which are held .inlongitudinalspacedrelationship. by means of front and rear horizontally extending. tie rods 14 and 16, respectively. Thepends. of the tie rods are of reduced diameter andthey extend through horizontally aligned apertures 18 and 20, respectively,,in the end plates. They threadedly receive nuts 22 and 24, respectively, which abut" the bosses 26 and 28 formed on the outer-faces of the end plates. Thereducedends ofgthe tie-rods provide annular shoulders 30 and'32 which abut the bosses 34 and 36 formed on the-inner faces. of the end plates 10 and'lz. Laterally extendingsears. 38 are formed at the bottom corners of the .end platesato. provide conecting brackets forsecuring the device-toga tableor. other suitable; raised platform by bolts-passing through apertures lll -formed-in the ears 38. A horizon: tal cross bar 42 is screwed to-the front upper edges of the end plates and a rear' horizontal cross bar' 44-. is screwed to-the rear upperedgesof theend plates.

The" binder support assembly 4 includes a'horizontal bar 45, hereinafter to be referredito asa binder support bar, which is supported'to the -front cross bar..42 -by meanslof a pair of shouldered screws -46.- Thes'screws have intermediate unthreaded shank 'portions.-.48 which project through horizontally elongated slots formed in the outer edges of the binder support'bar. The define ing; walls'of the slo'ts.50 make;a slide fit over-thescrew shanks-48 so that the binder'support'banmay. beslid horizontally with respect to the; frame 2". 'The binder support bar 45 -'is urged to .theleft by means -ofaitension spring 51 which? is secured-at one? enduto. a..pin-: 52-.-de=

' pendingfrom the; binder support 'bar andat theother end: to a horizontally extendingpin 54'secured to the .front tie'rod 14. The movement of the bar 45 to-the leftis terminated by the abutment of theyinner verticalt dee finingwall :of: the left. slot .50 with .the. left screwand the movement ofthe. .barto the, right is terminated. by the abutment of the inner vertical 'defininghwallrof -the right slot- 5tl'with the: rightscrew 46.

A series of laterally spacedbinder teeth receiving;slots 56 are formed in theupper faceof the. bind'ensupport bar and are spaced fromeach other a.distanceequal-tothe pitch of the binder teeth. The slots extend frorn the frontto the 'rear. face ofthe. bar. 45 and: the :bottom defining wallsthereof. incline upwardlyyfrom the .front to. the rear thereof. They have a width.slightly greater than the. width of the binder teeth 8a.: .Grooves.57 are formed on the rear face of the-binder supportbarr 45 between the slots-56'and-they receive the vverticalfingerlikemembers or projections58 which are" secured to-the bar. 45- by thescrews 60.. Thebinder. teeth-8a straddle the-fingers 58 and the binderbackbone: 8b. abuts the .rear of the fingers 58. 'The-fingerszproject well beyond: the top of the: binder support bar; Therear facesmfithe fingers are flush with the rear wall of.the.:binder support bar 45. andthe sides thereof are flushwith the,side..walls of the slots.- 56. The. fingers. are. :horizontally; aligned :in a row extending parallel to the binder support bar 45 and have a width, measured in a direction longitudinally of the binder support bar, slightly less than the space between the binder teeth 8a. A finger 58 at the far right of the row of fingers 58 is of a width which is equal to the spacing between the binder teeth, for reasons which will be explained hereinafter. The portion of the fingers just above the top of the binder support bar 45 are crimped rearwardly to provide concave indentations S9.

A pair of horizontally elongated slots 61 extend through the binder support bar 45 to receive the shanks of a pair of horizontally spaced push rods 62 which impart transverse movement to the hook carrying assembly 6. The push rods are mounted parallel to one another and extend transversely of the binder support bar. The push rods are slidable axially in circular apertures 63 formed in the front and rear cross bars 42 and 44, respectively. The front ends of the push rods 62 are reduced in diameter and extend through complementary circular apertures 65 in an angle member 66, hereinafter to be referred to as the hook-carrying bar. The front ends of the push rods 62 are threaded and receive nuts 68 which abut the front face of the hook-carrying bar and secure the tie rods to the latter bar. A shoulder formed by the reduced end portion of each push rod abuts the rear face of the hook-carrying bar 66 so that the forward movement of each tie rod 62 is transmitted to the bar 66.

The hook-carrying bar 66 includes a rearwardly ex tending shelf 72 at the top thereof which overlies the front half of the binder support bar 45. The bar 45 is cut away at 73 to make room for the shelf, the top of which is spaced slightly above the bar 45. A series of transverse grooves 74 (see Fig. 9) are formed in the top of the shelf 72 and are spaced from each other the same distance as the spacing of the binder teeth. The rear end of the grooves 74 extend all the way to the rear face of the shelf 72 but the front ends thereof terminate short of the front edge of the shelf. Vertical bores 76 formed in the shelf communicate with the front ends of the grooves 74. Nestled in each of the grooves 74 and the bores 76 is a hook member 78 which is to engage the teeth of the binder.

Each of the hooks 78 includes a straight horizontal intermediate shank portion 80, a depending vertical anchoring front end 82 and a horizontal extending binder teeth engaging rear end 84 which is at right angles to the intermediate shank portion 80. The hook ends 82 and 84 are thus located in different planes and one of them is at right angles to a line which is parallel to the other. The rear hook ends 84 are aligned along a horizontal line which is parallel to the row of fingers 58. Both of these hook ends are of the same length and they may be reversed in position so that the ends 82 become the binder teeth engaging ends and the ends 84 become the anchoring ends. The shanks 80 of the hooks are snugly nestled respectively in the grooves 74 and the front vertical ends 82 are snugly received in the bores 76. A number of screws 85 are threaded into the shelf 72 and the heads thereof overlie the shanks of the hooks to retain them securely in place within the grooves 74 and the bores 76.

The lengths of the hook ends 82 and 84 are equal to the widths of the fingers 58. When the binder support bar 45 is in its farthest left position, the hook ends 84 are located directly opposite the fingers and the finger indentations 59. If desired, the shanks of the hooks may be lengthened so that the hook ends 84 extend into the indentations 59. The sides of the hook ends 84 are flush with the sides of the slots 56 so that the binder backbone 8b may be placed against the fingers 58 with the binder teeth freely extending into the slots 56. When the support bar 45 is moved to its farthest right position against the force of the tension spring 51, the binder teeth are brought into encircling relationship with the hook ends 84. In this position the hooks are located between the 4 fingers 58. Then, any forward movement of the hooks will uncurl the teeth of the binder.

The means for imparting lateral movement to the hook-carrying bar 66 will now be described. This as sembly includes a horizontally extending rotatable shaft 36 which is journalled in the end plates 10 and 12 of the frame. A link member 88 is secured to the shaft 86 by means of a collar 90. The end of the link member 88 is connected by a depending rod 89 to a suitable foot operated member (not shown).

The link member 88 is biased in its upper position by means of a tension spring 90 which is anchored at one end to the forward tie rod 14 and at the other end to an arm 91 which is secured to the shaft 86 by a collar 93. The downward movement of the foot operated rod 89 is opposed by the tension spring, and the device is therefore normally urged into the position shown in Fig. 3. The rotary movement of the shaft 86 is converted to reciprocatory motion of the push rods 62 by means of a linkage assembly including the axially spaced, bifurcated link members 96 which are secured to the shaft 86 and include front and rear legs 96' and 96 which straddle a horizontal cross bar 97. The cross bar is secured at its ends to the push rods 62 by means of a pair of connecting blocks 98.

In the normal position of the device shown in Fig. 3, the foot operated bar 89 is in its upper position and the front of the cross bar 97 is engaged by the front legs 96' of the bifurcations 96, to maintain the push rods in their rearward position. The hook-carrying bar 66 is then in its rearwardmost position, with the transverse ends 84 of the hooks located adjacent to the front face of the fingers 58. When the pedal operated bar 89 is pulled downward, the link assembly is moved into the position shown in Fig. 5. This rotates the shaft 86 counter-clockwise and moves the rear legs 96" of the bifurcations 96 forward against the cross bar 97 to move the push rods 62 forward. The hook-carrying bar 66 is thus moved laterally forward of the binder support bar 45, carrying the books with it away from the bar 45. The forward movement of the hook-carrying bar 66 is limited by the abutment of a pair of lock nuts 100, carried at the end of one of the push rods, with the rear face of the rear cross bar 44 of the frame. The position of the lock nuts 100 on the push rod 60 may be varied to limit the amount of forward movement of the hook-carrying part 66 to the desired amount, depending on the size of the binder being uncurled.

Means is provided for locking the binder support bar 45 in its farthest right position, where the hook ends 84 are encircled by the teeth of the binder. The locking means comprises a lever 102 which is pivoted to the lefthand end plate 10 intermediate its ends by a pivot pin 103. The forward end of the lever 102 carries an upstanding tooth 105 which is urged toward the bottom of the binder supporting bar 45 by a spring 106. A slot 108 is formed in the bottom of the binder support bar and it is so positioned that it will overlie the top of the tooth 105 only when the binder support bar is positioned in its farthest right position, where the projections 58 are located between the hook ends 84. In this position, a stop pin 112, carried by a collar 114 which is secured to the left hand end of the shaft 86, normally abuts the end of the lever 102 and prevents the spring 106 from drawing the tooth into the slot 108. When, however, the rod 89 is pulled downward, the stop pin 112 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction away from the lever 102, thus enabling the tooth 105 to enter the slot 108 under the force of the spring 106. When the pedal operated rod 89 returns to its upper position, the stop pin 112 pushes the rear end of the lever 102 upward removing the tooth 105 from the slot 108. The binder support bar 45 then moves to the left under the control of the spring 51.

Supported behind the binder support rod 45 is a binder 5. receiving tray 9. The tray includes a horizontal panel 116 which is secured to the top of the end plates and 12. The panel 116 overlies the entire frame structure of the device. and its forward end is located adjacent to the top of the binder support bar 45. The rear end of the panel 116 terminates in an upstanding retaining wall 118. Unused binders are supported on the tray. The relationship of the tray to the-bar 45 enables an operator to grasp a binder resting on the'tray and to position it on the binder support member 45in a minimum of time and with a minimum of effort.

The operation of the device is as follows: A tubular binder is placed on the binder support bar 45 so that the binder teeth straddle the fingers 58 and the backbone engages the'rear of the-fingers 58. The two outermost teethof the binder straddle the Wider outer projection 58 with the teeth facing forwardly of the device. The bottoms of the curled binder teeth extend into the slots 56 and they rest on the-bottoms thereof. The binder support bar 45 is then in its far left position and the hooks are in front of the fingers 58 so that they do not interfere with the placement of the binder on the support bar 45. Next the binder support bar 45 is moved manually to the right, bringing thebinder teeth in encircling relationship with the hook ends84. The foot operated rod 89 is then pulled downward against the force of the spring 90, whereupon the movement of the lock pin 112 allows the tooth 105 to enter the slot108, thereby locking the binder support bar 45 into a position Where the binder teeth encircle the hooks. The hook-carrying bar 66 is moved forward and the hook ends 84 engage and uncurl the teeth of the binder, as shown in Fig. 5. The right end of the binder backbone 8b is prevented from bending appreciably forward and laterally inward by the fingers 58 which fits snugly between the last two binder teeth near. the backbone so as to brace the backbone near the. base. of the binder teeth where the bending would take place. This bracing is not needed at the left end of the binder where the hooks are facing outward of the binder, since any appreciable flexing of the binders is prevented by the left hand hook 78. Note that the right hand hook 78 faces inward of the binder.

Where the binders to be used with the device of the invention are one-half or less than one-half of the distance between the outermost uncurling hooks 78, then several binders may be uncurled simultaneously. In such case, it is preferred to substitute a wide finger like 58 for one of the narrow fingers 58 at the location of the space between the two last teeth at the right end of the binder to prevent the undesirable flexing of the backbone referred to above.

If the binder support bar 45 was not locked into its right hand position, the force of the tension spring 51 could pull the binder teeth out of engagement with the hooks unless the bar were maintained in that position by hand. The locking means, just described, enables both hands of the operator to be utilized in placing the slotted sheets over the upwardly facing ends of the uncurled binder teeth. Following the insertion of the sheets over the binder teeth, the pedal operated rod 89 is released, and it returns to the position shown in Fig. 3. The binder teeth-engaging hooks 84 are then adjacent the fingers 58 and the binder teeth are in their normal curled position. In this position, the binder support bar 45 has been returned to its left hand position by the spring 51 since the tooth 105 has then been disengaged from the slot 108.

The hooks 78 are preferably initially located a small distance above the bottom of the uncurled binder as viewed in Fig. 3. The position of the binder relative to the hooks is determined by the depth of the finger receiving slots 56. The depth of the slots 56 decreases toward the rear finger-receiving side of the binder support bar to accommodate binders of different diameters. The smaller binders will be supported in the proper position with respect to the hooks 78 while resting on the shallow may be made of the preferred embodiment of the inven-.

tion above described without deviating from the broader aspects thereof.

What is clairnedis:

1. In a binder. uncurling, device, first means for supporting a comb-type binder, a row of projections on said.

first means adapted to be straddled by the teeth of a binder, second means carryingarow of hooks which are adapted to engage the teeth 'of the binder for uncurling the same, said hooks each having a straight intermediate shank portion. and respective end portions of the same length which extend laterally from the intermediate shank portion at the same angle, one of said end portions of each hook constituting an anchoring'end and the other end portion constituting a binder teeth-engaging end, said second means having respective grooves receiving the-intermediate shank portions of said hooks, and respective apertures communicating with said grooves and adapted to snugly receive'the anchoring ends of the hooks, the binderteetheengaging ends of the hooks being aligned .in a direction extending lengthwise ofthe row of projections, and meansfor. holding said hooks in said grooves and apertures.

2. Ina binder. uncurlingdevice, first means for supportinga comb-type binder, a row of projections on said first means adapted to be straddled by the teeth of a binder, second means carrying a row'of hooks Whichare adapted to engagethe teeth of the, binder for uncurling the same, said hooks eachhaving an intermediate shank portion. and respective straight end portions extending laterally from the intermediate shank portion and being in different planes, one of the end portions of each hook constituting a binder teeth-engaging end and the other end constituting an anchoring end, said second means having respective grooves in the surface thereof for receiving said intermediate shank portions of said hooks, and respective apertures communicating with said grooves and receiving the anchoring ends of the hooks, the other end portions of said hooks being aligned in a direction extending lengthwise of said row of projections, and means for holding said hooks in said grooves and apertures.

3. In a device for uncurling the teeth of a comb-type tubular binder, a frame comprising spaced end plates, tie rods securing said end plates in spaced relationship, respective cross pieces extending between the upper portions of said end plates, binder support means supported on said frame for longitudinal movement thereon, uncurling means carrying a series of binder teeth-engaging projections, and push rod means extending between and slidable within apertures in both of said cross pieces for imparting relative lateral movement between said binder support means and said binder uncurling means.

4. In a device for uncurling the teeth of a comb-type tubular binder, a frame comprising spaced end plates, respective cross pieces extending between the upper portion of said end plates, tie rods securing said end plates in spaced relationship, binder support means supported on said frame for longitudinal movement thereon, uncurling means carrying a series of binder teeth-engaging projections which are aligned in -a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of movement of said binder support means, and push rod means horizontally extending between and slidable within apertures in both of said cross pieces for imparting relative lateral movement between said binder support means and said binder uncurling means.

5. In a device for uncurling the teeth of a comb-type tubular binder, a frame comprising spaced and plates, re-

spective cross pieces extending between said end plates, binder support means having a horizontal row of vertical projections which are adapted to be straddled by the teeth of the binder, a pair of spaced push rods extending between and axially slidable within apertures in both of said cross pieces, an uncurling means in proximity to said binder support means and secured to said push rods for movement therewith, a series of binder teeth-engaging hooks having straight binder teeth-engaging end portions aligned in a direction parallel to said row of projections and carried by said uncurling means, means for supporting said binder supporting means for movement in said direction to position said hooks both between and within the binder teeth supported on said binder support means, and means for imparting axial movement to said push rods to move said uncurling means laterally of said binder support means.

6. In a device for uncurling the teeth of a comb-type tubular binder, a frame having end plates, tie rods securing said end plates in spaced relationship, respective cross bars extending between the upper portions of said end plates, a horizontally extending binder support bar, means for supporting said binder support bar for horizontal movement on said frame, said binder support bar having a horizontal row of upstanding posts which are adapted to be straddled by the teeth of the binder adjacent to the backbone thereof, a pair of spaced horizontally extending push rods extending between and beyond said cross bars and axially slidable within apertures in both of said cross bars, an uncurling bar opposite said binder support rod and secured to said push rods for movement therewith, a series of binder teeth-engaging hooks extending parallel to and along the edge of said uncurling bar facing said binder support bar, a rotatable shaft extending between and journalled in said end plates, and linkage means coupled between said shaft and said push rods for converting the rotary motion of said shaft into reciprocatory motion of said push rods to move said uneurling bar laterally and horizontally of said binder support bar.

7. In a binder uncurling device, a binder support bar, a row of fingers projecting from said bar and adapted to be straddled by the teeth of a binder supported on said bar, the finger at the end of said row of fingers being sized to fit snugly between the last two teeth of a binder to prevent the bending of the binder end during the uncurling operation, and substantially the remainder of the fingers in said row having a Width in a direction lengthwise of the row of fingers substantially less than the corresponding dimension of said end finger, so as to fit freely between the teeth of a binder applied to the device.

8. In a binder uncurling device, a binder support bar, a row of fingers projecting from said bar and adapted to be straddled by the teeth of a binder supported on said bar, a row of binder uncurling hooks extending parallel to said row of fingers and each having a shank extending laterally of said row of fingers and a transverse end opposite said fingers and extending in the same direction along a common line, the finger which is opposite the inwardly facing hook at the end of said row of hooks being sized to fit snugly between the last two teeth of a binder, and substantially the remainder of the fingers having a width in a direction lengthwise of the row of fingers less than the corresponding dimension of said finger so as to extend freely between the teeth of a binder inserted on the device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,108,136 Nelson Feb. 15, 1938 2,334,433 Nelson Nov. 16, 1943 2,334,589 Spinner Nov. 16, 1943 2,334,815 Emmer Nov. 23, 1943 2,603,801 Emmet July 22, 1952 

